Logs:Skating Lessons
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| RL Date: 3 February, 2013 |
| Who: K'del, Vienne |
| Type: [[Concept:{{{type}}}|{{{type}}}]] |
| What: K'del gives Vienne a skating lesson. He realises (something) of how self-absorbed he is. Sort of. |
| Where: Lake Shore, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day {{{day}}}, Month {{{month}}}, Turn {{{turn}}} ({{{IP}}} {{{IP2}}}) |
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| Lake Shore, High Reaches Weyr The rest of the bowl may be barren, grass barely surviving at best, but here by the lake, it's brilliantly green in the warmer months: thickening and thriving in the silty, boulder-dotted soil just before it transitions to soft sand and thence to the cool, clear water itself. A large freshwater lake fed by a low waterfall, it not only provides warm-weather bathing space for humans and dragons, but has one end fenced off as a watering hole for the livestock in the feeding grounds. The water there is often muddier than the rest of the clear lake, whose shallows drop off abruptly several yards out into deep water, and whose edge undulates against the coarse-hewn bowl wall: here close enough to just be bramble-covered rocks, there far enough away that a narrow land bridge divides the main lake from a smallish pond. Between are several rocky outcroppings that form excellent makeshift diving points, though only one -- across the bridge -- has a set of narrow, slippery, quite possibly tempting stairs. Wind, rain, and snow combine to make for miserable, sleety weather today. It's about a sevenday before the first anniversary of Iolene's death when, on a fine, cold afternoon, Cadejoth rattles a length of chain in Oswinth's direction, and invites his rider to come skating with K'del. « Keep him company, » the bronze says, an undercurrent of wistful concern so-obvious beneath the more contented glow that comes from wind and air. Not that K'del seems to be in particularly low spirits; indeed, he seems as content as he gets, these days, and can be found balanced against one of the boulders by the water's edge, carefully adjusting the buckles on his skates. There's a pillow sitting beside him, and another pair of skates atop it. Sometimes Oswinth is perceptive; sometimes that perception is oddly skewed. As it is, his kinetic buzz assures Cadejoth that the message is received. It fades out again for some conference with his rider and then returns. « Has something happened? » The hints of concern probably do not belong to the blue, as he seems quite removed from the whole thing, polite and soft-spoken as his tone may be. He also tacks on that Vienne will attend. So it's in due course that the little bluerider turns up, properly decked out for some time in the winter air, coming to stand beside K'del and his boulder and looking down at the spare skates with a little trepidation. Her mittened hands are clasped together. "So, those are for me?" Her mouth disappears after that, hidden away between her teeth, and she glances over the bronzerider. « No, » says Cadejoth, something like reassurance. « No, no. But he remembers things, and he's trying not to. » Cadejoth would like him to smile. And for now-- well, that doesn't seem to be too much of a problem, not when K'del turns at the sound of Vienne's voice, grinning broadly. "You came," he says, sounding pleased. "They are. The pillow-- that's mostly a joke. You won't need it, I promise. BUt I thought... I did promise, right? That we'd skate. Before winter is over." There's probably another month of winter left, but he seems childishly eager to do this, something hopeful in his gaze. Oswinth must understand enough not to have any follow up questions. And it would perhaps seem like the situation is already resolved since K'del grins as he does now, which makes Vienne smile back at him. "Of course," she says of her arrival, as if it was silly for there ever to be any doubt. "Are you sure I won't need the pillow?" she chuckles lightly, taking a light perch beside K'del on the edge of the boulder and bending to pick up one of the skates, just to turn it around in her hands and inspect it. "Did you have to borrow these from a kid?" she asks a little hesitantly, tipping her boot to look down at the size of her foot, comparing it to the size of the skate. "They adjust-- if you pull the thing there?" It's very technical. There's definitely not much indication of whatever it was Cadejoth was concerned about, now, though perhaps there's something manic in the way he moves, setting his foot down, now, so he can skate a short distance forward. "There are skates of all sizes in stores. I guessed, I admit, but-- it looks like it should work? It just straps on over your boot." He turns, skating back towards the boulder - and more specifically, towards Vienne. "Want me to help you get them on?" There have been people skating and Vienne has surely seen them, but watching K'del glide away from the boulder has a whole knew importance now that she's about to try such things herself. She fiddles with the skate mechanism, on the right path but by no means effortless with it. "I..." She starts to knock her boot against the rock, trying to clear off the snow. "I guess it's good that I didn't wear heels," she chuckles, and then starts to try to fit the skate on. There's a glance at the bronzerider when he comes back, and though she doesn't ask for his help, her shy smile doesn't refuse it either. "So, I'm not the first, right? You've given this lesson before?" "Milani taught me when I was-- fifteen? Sixteen? Probably sixteen. Not so long ago that I don't remember the process. And I taught my kids, plus a few others, over the turns. You'll be fine." K'del's smile is irrepressible. It's almost sweet. He drops to a crouch, heedless of the fact that it must be cold, so close to the ice, and reaches out to help with the skate, his fingers well practiced and comfortable with the mechanism. "It's intimidating, at first, but once you start getting the hang of it, it's good fun. You're lucky: not too many people out here, today, to get in the way." "Or not too many people out to see me fall. Or too many people who would have to maneuver around me like an obstacle." Those are other ways to look at the boon of having the ice largely to themselves. Vienne keeps her chin tucked low, perhaps a little more bashful to have K'del crouched in front of her and helping her with her shoes like she really is a child. But her mittened hands are not much help and she leaves them on the boulder as he fiddles with metal and latches and whatever else the fitting of skates entails. "I'm glad you asked me to come out," she tells him. "I didn't think you remembered. I barely remembered." There have been more pressing matters in the recent weeks. "Is that when you came here? When you were fifteen?" K'del's tone is quietly, and amusedly, chiding when he says, "Now, now. Be positive, Vienne!" Only, well-- he probably can't really promise that she won't fall, and his expression says as much, despite the good humour. "It seemed like something I should actually follow up on," he says, lowering his gaze back towards the skate, but not necessarily as though he's trying to hide hid expression. Probably. "And I was restless, so it seemed like a good time. I'm glad you could come." He draws his hands back, apparently satisfied, and rises to his feet once more. "Mm, yes. Came with the tithe from Tillek - the same Tithe that Lady Edeline came with, if you know that story, though I didn't know her to talk to. Impressed Cadejoth a few months later. Oversexed, over-confident, and too cool for everything; that was me." "Fine," she laughs lightly, grinning to herself before she lifts her chin and straightens her posture, so that her prim perch on the rock is a much more lofty thing. "Fewer people to get in my way," she agrees belatedly, certainly. "For their own saftey. I'm small, but rather pointy." She flashes her instructor a grin and turns an elbow out to the side, evidence of said pointiness. The put-on confidence seems to run deep enough that she decides she's ready to stand and she puts her hands out for K'del to take, clearly expecting that he is going to personally make sure she doesn't break any bones today. "I'm not sure I know that story," she admits of Lady Edeline and the tithe. As for the rest, "You were so young. I remember it, hearing about you. Well, not for those reasons." Probably just that Weyrleader thing that she doesn't mention now. "I'd hate to get one of those in the face," teases K'del, with an eye for that elbow. He reaches out to grab her hands without hesitation, evidently intending to skate backwards - slowly - to help her get started. "One foot in front of the other. Glide. But if you want to just try and take steps to begin with, that works, too." He squeezes her hands, evidently as a means of encouragement, and adds, "She ran to the Weyr after her stepmother tried to take over, basically. Her father hadn't officially named her heir. Stayed here for a while, gaining support. I had a monumental crush on her." His grin is amused, and utterly unrepentent for the recollection. "Mmm. My seventeenth Turnday. Not my finest hour, really. How about you-- when did you Impress?" "In the kidney, maybe," Vienne corrects, since she'd need to be on stilts as well as skates to get her elbow all the way up to K'del's face. She manages to stand, but otherwise, there's very little movement, knees awkwardly bent and eyes down on her unsteady feet. So if she's moving forward at all, it's because K'del's slow, backward motion is tugging her along, and that's enough to make her squeak quietly with excitement. "I'm skating." Tenatively she slides one foot forward, though not in any way that's going to help actually propel her. Despite all her attention to this 'skating', the bluerider is still listening to his story and when K'del gets to the part about his monumental crush, she lets out a bright laugh and looks up at him, which seems to be enough to induce her first slip. A foot scoots out from beneath her such that the laugh turns into a yelp and her hands go tight on his. The chuckle that follows is breathless and anxious, but she's survived her first slip and a few seconds later she remembers his question. "Oswinth is only five." K'del seems quite content to take the lead, skating slowly-- "You are!", he agrees, brightly, and pleased, too. As she slips, he tightens his grip, making sure she doesn't slide too far; in this, too, his height is helpful. "I've got you," he promises, drawing her onwards a little further only once he's sure she's properly back on her feet. "Only five." It's probably the first personal question he's asked her, and he seems surprised by the answer, though surely it shouldn't be that surprising. "It's strange, for me. Thinking of people having adult lives before they Impress. But then... it wasn't all that long ago that there were still candidates older than I was, so it shouldn't." There are a few nervous little noise as he starts to pull her onward again, quiet squeaks as she glides forward and miraculously does not fall down. After staring at her feet a bit longer, she grins up at K'del again, this time without losing her footing. Her eyes are bright, so tense as she is, she does seem to be having fun. "It's strange to have an adult life before Impressing. I envy the people who Impressed when they were thirteen and all... unformed. And it easy for people to assume dragons are of a certain age when you are. Really, Oswinth is quite young." Her mouth presses together there, though perhaps just because she's trying that whole moving her feet thing again. K'del returns that smile with extra brightness. He seems... relatively relaxed, here, even on alert to help her in case of a stumble; he's pleasantly distracted. "Reckon there're advantages and disadvantages," he says. "Like - weyrlinghood is short. I was a bronzerider at sixteen, when most kids my age were still apprentices, or in training for something. Not sure if I knew who I was, before I wasn't me but us, you know? But I guess it might be a more difficult adjustment, later. And the whole... back to training, bottom of the heap, all of that." He turns his head, glancing over his shoulder for a moment, probably mostly to make sure they're not about to run into anything - or anyone. Then, glancing back: "You're doing well." "That's true, I suppose." That weyrlinghood is short in comparison to the turn after turn of apprentice study. "I don't know that I ever thought about it like that. It didn't feel short to me. It didn't feel long either, but I wasn't... There wasn't something at the end to look forward to?" Vienne tries that on, that possible explanation. "I was me. And then I wasn't. And that wasn't going to change just because we were cleared to fly on our own." In the midst of those thoughts her feet have stopped altogether, forgotten, and so too forgotten is her tensed posture. She's standing a little straighter when he offers her that last encouragement, and it's about that time that she realizes she's stopped smiling, and so a small grin returns bashfully. "I'm not doing anything." "No?" K'del's smile is rueful. "I was desperate to finish, to be a real rider. Getting a Weyr, getting freedom... it all mattered so much to me. Know what you mean about the not being yourself, though. Cadejoth... it was hard. Never expected that." He's watching her, though not in any intense, staring kind of way. When her feet stop, so do his, this time, though it largely seems to be so that he can give her a patient smile. "We haven't crashed yet! Try picking up your feet a little more. Lift, and then slide. I won't let you fall. We'll go just a little faster, but I'll let you set the pace." "I don't want to kick you," Vienne worries, hands gripping tighter again as she lifts a foot experimentally. Another try and the experiment turns into a useless, awkward step and then another. "That's how everyone seemed. They were all eager, all ready. And Oswinth was, too. It took me a long time to adjust," she says, a touch regretful. "Oswinth was easy. He was the only thing about it that was easy." A pause and then: "I don't think I'm doing it right. Let me see you skate again," she says, her chin jerking forward for him to show her an example. K'del's mouth twitches, merrily, as he shakes his head: no, she won't kick him. Really! The experiment may fail, but he doesn't seem bothered-- his smile is undiminished. "Cadejoth was hard. We didn't... mesh, not the way I expected to. It took longer. But we got there, eventually. He grew up a lot, once he was Weyrleader. Not quite so... happy and enthusiastic and lovable and so damn annoying." At least he sounds, and looks, affectionate for that bit. Again, he comes to a halt, making sure Vienne is quite safely stationary before he lets go of her hands, and executes a few strides worth of skating. Coming back, "It's okay if you don't get this down today, promise. We're just here to have some fun." "He wasn't oversexed, over-confident and... What was the last one? Too cool?" Vienne is teasing him, just a little, but she's the one who laughs when K'del complains about his lifemate being annoyingly lovable. "Yeah, that sounds just awful." But when the bronzerider skates away, her attention is focused, watching the manner in which his feet leave the ice and find it again, the point at which he appears to push. When he comes back, she holds her hands up to keep him back, so she can try it herself. "I'm having fun. I just... I want to learn." Her smile is rather self-effacing, small mouth twisting to one side. "Are you having fun?" "He was not," agrees K'del, not quite managing to keep his face straight, though he tries valiantly to do so. "Can you imagine how hard it was on my reputation? Having an adorable lifemate, when I was trying to be the big, impressive bronzerider?" Poor boy. Vienne's hands keep him from getting too close, his nod evidently intended to be one of encouragement. "Just take it slowly," he cautions, cheerfully. "Of course I'm having fun. I like skating, and I enjoy your company... it's nice to be not moping the place up for once, you know? Doing something fun for once." "Oh, I see," Vienne chuckles, shaking her head at these terrible troubles K'del had. "And you felt guilty for being frustrated? Or were you too cool for that, too?" She does her best to mimic his skating, though what comes out is still incredibly stilted. After a few paces, she even manages to gather enough momentum to glide for a few inches. It might have been more than a few inches if a bump in the ice didn't catch her foot and gives her a surprise. She doesn't fall, but there's enough of a wobble that she waves K'del back over, her hand reaching for his again. "Let's go back to that thing where you do the skating and I just hold on." There's a small tremble in her smile and she has to take a deep breath to settle her renewed nerves. "Tell me what else you do for fun." K'del's immediate answer comes in the form of a nod, a somewhat bashful affair - self-consciously amused. He skates over, grabbing for her hands with a cheerful grin, encouraging her with a, "That was good! Better. But sure, we'll keep going like this for a while. Yes, I felt guilty for being frustrated. And embarrassed." He begins skating again, leading her on with slow, gentle glides. "Well..." he sounds thoughtful. "Play with my kids a lot. Swimming in summer, skating and snowball fights and that kind of thing in winter. And reading - to them, and for myself. History, often, for me. Novels, too. My brother's a harper - writes adventure stories, some of the time. Cadejoth and I go flying. I drink with friends. Things like that. What about you?" "I've never tried my hand at writing. Not a novel. Songs but..." Vienne shrugs, clearly not impressed with her efforts there. "Sometimes they just happen. Usually just... a song about whatever I'm doing: folding my clothes or sweeping out Oswinth's couch." She settles in more comfortably to being pulled along this time, the tension of her arms ready but not petrified. At least as long as they aren't executing any turns. "I read. History sometimes, novels, journals. I like the journals best, I think. Histories, there's always something missing." And though she does still watch her feet a good bit, it's easier now to meet K'del's eye. "Who's your brother?" There's a touch of a furrow in her brow, real interest, as if she expects it's a name she should know. K'del doesn't stumble, not exactly, but there's a hitch in his step that nearly turns in to one as Vienne talks. He's surprised, though apparently doing his best not to look it. "Ander," he says, after a moment, naming a Journeyman in his early to mid thirties, one of the ones who teaches classes at the Hall and has done for over a decade. "You have Harper connections?" He sounds... thoughtful, but also slightly guilty, or maybe it's something else? There's clearly something on his mind. "Ander. Right." Those facts come back to her immediately, familiarity not only with the name but its connection to the man in front of her. Vienne smiles for the recognition only to discover that K'del is not smiling back. It wouldn't be the first time she's had someone connect the dots so visibly. "Yes," she answers, quiet but not shy. "I was a journeyman when I impressed." She wets her lips, eyes dropping again. "They don't tell you, when you become a harper, that it means everyone outside the craft will look at you the way you're looking at me right now." There's more she'd like to say, it's on the tip of her tongue, but Vienne closes her mouth and lifts her gaze to him, patiently waiting for him to decide how he'd like to react. K'del immediately, instantly, looks guilty - and hopelessly apologetic. "Oh, shells," he says. "I'm sorry, Vienne. I-- I'm so self-obsessed at the moment, I never thought to ask about your background, and now I've made myself look like an idiot. I'm just surprised, that's all. It's fine; I like harpers just fine." His cheeks are pink from more than just the cold now, but he seems to be honest in what he's saying... or wants to believe, it anyway. "I've been really self-obsessed, haven't I?" If he's going to look that sorry about it, Vienne can't help but look a little sorry too. "I shouldn't have said that," she says quickly, ducking her head keeping her eyes low, to the side. "It's not your fault. You don't look like an idiot. You... look like a person who wants to trust people and doesn't know when they can." She lifts her glance to him again, sympathy there for his position, for the color in his cheeks. "Like a person who is suddenly thinking back over everything they said and wondering if it was a mistake. It's just what people do." She takes a moment to collect hersef, her hands pulling away lightly, as if they expect he won't want to keep them any further. "You're not self-obsessed," she manages. "You have a lot... to deal with." She's sorry to say that, too. "No," he says, not fighting the withdrawal of her hands, though he seems faintly wistful all the same. "No, you're right. It is my immediate reaction: all of what you said. Maybe it shouldn't be, but it is. And that's sad." It makes him look sad, though not as much as it could: he shoulders don't slump, at least, and he doesn't actually sigh. "Maybe I do have a lot to deal with, but that doesn't actually mean I should forget to ask things about other people. I don't even know where you're from, aside from the fact that you Impressed at Igen, and used to be a Harper." But for all his self-aware interest, Vienne is shaking her head. "I don't mind. It's nice, really, to be whoever I am now. There's nothing I can say about myself that doesn't get... reactions." Her teeth pinch her lip, not in a thoughtful, chewing way but in that tight nip of skin that likely hurts. Her own regrets are etched on her brow. "You don't have anything to apologize for. If you don't want to talk to me anymore... I understand." She draws in a long breath and starts to turn away, evidently thinking she can just... skate off to the shore again? That turns out to be the best idea she ever had as, just to add injury to insult, she finally does lose her footing and falls backwards. "I do want to ta--" K'del has one hand outstretched, evidently intending to call Vienne back, or to stop her, though it's inefficient at best. Then she falls, and he's immediately in action, skating to her side where he crouches, reaching out. "Vienne. Are you okay? Let me--" He breaks off, biting at his lip. Vienne sits there, caught in her wince, legs in front of her and her hands at her sides, just taking a moment to let the shock and embarrassment subside. And when it does she can release an exhale, a heavy sigh as she looks up at K'del rather pitifully. But meeting his gaze is still not the easiest thing, perhaps less so now. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm just... feeling a little self-absorbed." It's a weak joke, a weaker laugh. And then, suddenly, instead of making any effort to get to her feet, she just looks at him, worried. "Did I ruin it? Your good mood?" It gets another weak laugh, this one from K'del, but at least he seems relieved: she didn't hit her head, there's no blood. Safe. He reaches out for his hand, aiming to take it within his if she'll let him, as he says, "No. No, you didn't. It's fine - honestly it is, Vienne. And I do still want to talk to you. But right now, I think we should get you back to solid ground. Do you want to skate with me, or shall we take your skates off, and you can walk?"
CommentsBrieli (Brieli (talk)) left a comment on Mon, 04 Mar 2013 21:50:20 GMT. <
... And Vienne neatly avoids saying where she's from... ;)
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This would be darling, but then- self doubt, misunderstandings, falling. Still kinda cute, though. :3
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Comments
Brieli (Brieli (talk)) left a comment on Mon, 04 Mar 2013 21:50:20 GMT.
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... And Vienne neatly avoids saying where she's from... ;)
Azaylia (Dragonshy (talk)) left a comment on Mon, 04 Mar 2013 22:40:06 GMT.
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This would be darling, but then- self doubt, misunderstandings, falling. Still kinda cute, though. :3
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